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Short-Track Roundup: World of Outlaws Finals wows racing fans

The World of Outlaws Finals has become one of the biggest events in short track racing. Photo by CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

The seventh annual World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte may have solidified the event as one of the must-see short track events of the season.

The event that concludes the season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series and Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds sold out Saturday night with standing-room-only crowd packing the pit area at the four-tenths-mile dirt track that has seating for 14,800.

The race also drew 74 dirt late models, 55 sprint cars and 49 modifieds for three days of competition that culminated with features for all three classes on Friday and Saturday night.

Champions were crowned in all three divisions with six different drivers winning features. Modified champion Brett Hearn won on Friday night, while Stewart Friesen picked up the victory on Saturday. Josh Richards, who secured his third World of Outlaws Late Model Series title, won Saturday’s late model race with Darrell Lanigan triumphing on Friday.

Paul McMahan won Saturday night’s sprint car race, while Daryn Pittman claimed the series championship by 14 points (the closest finish in series history) over Donny Schatz, who claimed his 23rd victory of the season on Friday night.

Pittman led the points from start to finish, but had to survive a furious second half charge from five-time champion Donny Schatz.

“Right now I don’t know what I am supposed to say or think or do,” said Pittman, who drives for Kasey Kahne Racing. “It has been a roller coaster the last couple of weeks. I don’t know how anybody could lead the points all season and then lose it in the last race of the season and survive because I don’t know what I would have done. It got closer than we wanted, but we beat Donny Schatz and he had a record year. That shows just how strong this team is.”

Richards picked up his 10th win of the year on Saturday, securing his third title in style aboard his dad Mark’s Rocket chassis.

“This is the most relaxed I’ve ever been here at Charlotte,” said Richards. “To be able to have the [points] cushion we had and wrap it up last night -- compared to previous years when you’re [battling for the title] right down to the last lap [on Saturday] -- was a relief. We were able to just go all-out for the win tonight.”

Hearn clinched his title by simply taking the track on Saturday night, but finished second after winning on Friday.

“To win the championship, and to come out of here with a first and a second, it makes for a great end of the year and a great weekend for us,” Hearn said. “We’re just really happy to be part of the event, it's really second-to-none.”

The victory paid Johnson $25,000, including the $5,000 bonus for sweeping all four races in the Cocopah Cup. In all, he took home $41,000 from the track this season.

New Ride

Shane Stewart has a new ride for the 2014 sprint car racing season.

The veteran Oklahoma driver who has achieved modest success in recent years despite splitting his driving among multiple teams, will drive for a team created by NASCAR drivers Kyle Larson and Justin Marks.

Based in the Charlotte, N.C., area, Larson Marks Racing will debut next season.

“It’s relieving to know what I am going to be doing the next couple of years with Larson Marks Racing,” Stewart said. “Everyone knows what Kyle Larson has been able to accomplish the last few years and I am humbled to be associated with him and am looking forward to getting started next season with Larson Marks Racing.”

This & That

Gray Gaulding earned his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory Saturday at Phoenix Int’l Raceway, while Derek Thorne claimed the series championship…Matt Hirschman won the North-South Shootout for asphalt modifieds Saturday night at North Carolina’s Caraway Speedway for the fifth time in the last eight years…Ben Rowe won the PASS late model feature that shared the card…Veteran Pennsylvania sprint car driver Lance Dewease will join Dietz Motorsports for the 2014 season…Jeremy Payne won the Duel in the Desert IMCA modified race at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the fourth time…Billy Boyd Jr. was the sprint car king at Florida’s East Bay Raceway Park.